Short answer

Invest in digital infrastructure and content that fosters user familiarity and trust, as this directly translates into increased travel intent for niche, sustainable tourism offerings.

Field: Innovation & Markets
Source: International Journal of Data and Network Science (2026)
Method: Quantitative research using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA).
Sample: 225 participants
Evidence: Strong effect

Digital literacy and habitual engagement with AI tourism infrastructure significantly drive destination trust and preference, ultimately increasing the urge to travel to sustainable niche destinations like coffee plantations. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2026 study published in International Journal of Data and Network Science. Using Quantitative research using structural equation modelling (sem) and exploratory factor analysis (efa). with 225 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Invest in digital infrastructure and content that fosters user familiarity and trust, as this directly translates into increased travel intent for niche, sustainable tourism offerings.

Study

Innovation & MarketsNew This WeekStrong effect

Digital Literacy Fuels Sustainable Travel Urges in Niche Tourism

International Journal of Data and Network Science · 2026

Key Findings

01Digital literacy positively impacts the habitual use of technology.
02Habit is a significant antecedent to destination trust and preference.
03Destination trust and preference are significant drivers of the urge to travel.

Application

Design takeaway

Invest in digital infrastructure and content that fosters user familiarity and trust, as this directly translates into increased travel intent for niche, sustainable tourism offerings.

How to apply

Designers of tourism platforms and destination marketing organizations should prioritize user-friendly digital interfaces and personalized AI-driven recommendations to cultivate habitual use and build strong destination perceptions.

Project actions

01Consider how digital tools can be used to build user trust and encourage repeat engagement in your design project.
02Explore how 'habit' can be designed into a user experience to increase loyalty or adoption.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate how digital literacy, habit, destination trust, and destination preference influence tourists’ urge to travel to coffee plantations, and to explore the mediating role of AI-based tourism infrastructure.

MethodQuantitative research using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA).

ProcedureAn online survey was administered to 225 tourists. Data were analyzed using EFA to examine the measurement model and SEM to evaluate the structural model and hypotheses regarding the relationships between digital literacy, habit, trust, preference, and travel urge.

Sample225 participants

ContextSustainable niche tourism, specifically coffee tourism.

Variables

IV["Digital literacy","Habit"]

DV["Urge to travel"]

CV["Destination trust","Destination preference","AI-based tourism infrastructure"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Employs robust statistical methods (SEM, EFA) for rigorous analysis.
+Addresses a gap in research on consumer behavior in niche sustainable tourism.

Limitations

The study used convenience sampling, which might mean the results only apply to a specific group of people. The focus on coffee tourism might also mean it's not applicable to other types of travel.

Reliability & validity

The study reports excellent fit indices for its structural model (χ²/DF = 1.124, CFI = 0.995, RMSEA = 0.024), indicating good construct validity and reliability of the measurement instruments.

Think critically

How might the influence of digital literacy and habit differ across various age demographics or cultural backgrounds in shaping travel preferences?

Design Principles

"Digital engagement fosters destination affinity, driving market demand."

Understanding how digital engagement influences consumer behavior is crucial for destination marketers. This research highlights the importance of leveraging technology to build trust and preference, especially within the growing sustainable tourism sector.

What This Means for Your Design

If tourists are good with technology and use travel apps often, they will trust and like a place more, making them want to go there, especially if it's a special place like a coffee farm that's good for the environment.

How to use in your project

1.This study can inform the justification for using digital prototypes or user interfaces that aim to build trust and encourage habitual use in a design project.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research demonstrates that digital literacy and habitual engagement with AI-powered tourism infrastructure significantly enhance destination trust and preference, thereby increasing the urge to travel. This suggests that for niche tourism markets, such as sustainable coffee tourism, designing user experiences that foster digital familiarity and encourage regular interaction can be a powerful strategy for driving consumer interest and market penetration.

Source

International Journal of Data and Network Science

Digitally literate, habitually engaged: Unpacking sustainable urge to travel in coffee tourism

journal · 2026

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about digital literacy fuels sustainable travel urges in niche tourism?: Invest in digital infrastructure and content that fosters user familiarity and trust, as this directly translates into increased travel intent for niche, sustainable tourism offerings. Evidence: International Journal of Data and Network Science (2026).
Why does "Digital Literacy Fuels Sustainable Travel Urges in Niche Tourism" matter for design?: Understanding how digital engagement influences consumer behavior is crucial for destination marketers. This research highlights the importance of leveraging technology to build trust and preference, especially within the growing sustainable tourism sector.
How can designers apply this research?: Invest in digital infrastructure and content that fosters user familiarity and trust, as this directly translates into increased travel intent for niche, sustainable tourism offerings.
What were the main findings?: Digital literacy positively impacts the habitual use of technology.. Habit is a significant antecedent to destination trust and preference.. Destination trust and preference are significant drivers of the urge to travel.
What research method was used?: Quantitative research using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). with 225 participants.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2026 journal from International Journal of Data and Network Science.
What should I do differently in my next project?: Designers of tourism platforms and destination marketing organizations should prioritize user-friendly digital interfaces and personalized AI-driven recommendations to cultivate habitual use and build strong destination perceptions.
What are the limitations?: Convenience sampling may limit generalizability; the study focuses on a specific niche (coffee tourism) and may not apply to all tourism types.